Heel-seat fitting machine



March 24, 1936. Q G, BRQST-RQM 2,034,742

HEEL SEAT FITTING MACHINE Filed July 5, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 //v VE/V TUAL ch 1936- c. G. BROSTROM HE USEATJFITTING MACHINE Filed July 5, 1 934 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 24,1936. G B T M 2,034,742

HEELJSEAT FITTING MACHINE Filed July 5, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 UNITED stars recur HEEL-SEAT FITTING MACHINE Charles G. Brostrom, Peabody, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Paterson, N. J a corporation of New Jersey Application July 5, 1934, Serial No. 733,714

25 Claims. (01. 12-31.5)

This invention relates to the manufacture of leading end of the guide member serving as a shoes and is illustrated as embodied in a heelplow which engages within the rand crease of the seat fitting machine. shoe. After the heel-seat reducing out has pro- In order to prepare a shoe to which a sole has gressed around the heel end of the shoe to a been attached for the reception of a wood heel it point adjacent to the opposite end of the heel- 5 is customary to trim material from the margin of breast line the operator tilts the knife so that its the heel-seat portion of the sole, thereby reduccutting edge faces away from the support which ing the heel seat portion of the sole to the form is then lowered, thereby causing the knife to cut of a tongue which is sufficiently large to serve a heel-breast receivingshoulder at the opposite as a base to which the heel may be effectively end of the heel-breast line. When the support 10 secured and which is of suitable size to permit the has been lowered the shoe is removed therefrom rim of the attaching face of the heel snugly to and is replaced by another shoe. engage the overlasted portion of the shoe upper. With the above and other objects and features During the heel-seat fitting operation a pair of in view, the invention will now be described in shoulders extending transversely of the sole are connection with the accompanying drawings and 15 formed at the forward lateral portions of the pointed out in the claims. reduced heel seat, which shoulders are shaped In the drawings, and arranged to engage the breast of the heel Fig. 1 isa side elevational view of the illustrated positioned upon the shoe. heel-seat fitting machine;

: It is an object of this invention to provide an Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevational View of 20 inexpensive machine operable to fit the heel seats the head of the illustrated heel-seat fitting maof shoes for the reception of heels. With the n portions of which have been broken away; above object in view and in accordance with a Fig. 3 is a perspective V Of the head of the feature of this invention the illustrated machine machine;

comprises a support for a shoe, a flexible cutter, Fig. 4 is an enlarged View i lustr t e ab ve 25 mechanism for operating the cutter, guides conmachine in the process of forming aheel-breast structed and arranged to constrain an operating receiving shoulder;

portion of the cutter for movement in a path of Fig. 5 is an illustrative view showing the mapredetermined curvature, and means for guiding chine in the process of reducing the heel-seat the support past the operating portion of the portion of the. sole of a Sho 30 cutter to reduce the heel-seat portion of the sole Fig. 6 is a V ew S m a t F 5 b Showing the of a shoemounted upon the support. In the illusmachine adjusted so that the cutting edge of the trated machine a portion of the cutter which knife is straight; has the form of astrip knife, is flexed by the Fig. 7 shows a clamp by means ch t guides to form the curved trimming or operating shoe is secured to a Support du t e ee -Sea 35 portion of theknife to which the shoe is prefitting operation;

sented. In order to present the shoe to the trim- Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the rear end of ming portion of the knife, the support is guided an inverted shoe the heel-seat portion of the sole in a U-shaped path past the trimming portion. of which has been reduced by the illustrated ma- 40 The support is also mounted for rectilinear. movechine; and 4 ment toward and away from the trimming portion Fig. 9 is an illustrative sectional view showing of the knife. The trimming portion of the knife the angular relation of the sole and the knife is tilted transversely so asto cause its cutting during the Shoulder forming p o edge to face the support as the shoe upon the In order to prepare a shoe 20 having an atsupport is raised thereby to cut a heel-breast retached sole 22 for the reception of a wood heel 45 ceiving shoulder at one end of the heel-breast 24 (F it customary to m t eheebseat line of the sole. Upward movement of the supportion of the sole by a beveling cut 26 thereby port toward the knife is stopped by engagement reducing the heel seat to the form of a tongue oiv one of the knife guiding members with the as shown at 28 and toform a pair of heel-breast overlasted counter portion of the shoe. During receiving Shoulders 3!), 3| which extend trans-50 the removal of the margin of the heel-seat perversely of the sole from the forward lateral portion of the sole the overlasted counter portion tions of the reduced heel seat 28.

of the shoe upper is in engagement with the bot- The. illustrated machine comprises a flexible tom face of the guide member as the shoe upon cutting blade or strip knife 32, spaced guide :65 the support. is moved in the U-shaped path, the members 34, 36 for flexing the cutting blade '32 to curve the trimming portion 38 thereof, and a support 40 upon which the shoe is secured by a clamp 42 and which may be guided in a U-shaped path past the trimming portion of the knife.

The operating parts of the machine are supported by a standard 44 (Fig. 1) upon which a table 46 is adjustably secured. Bolted to the forward end of the table 46 is a bifurcated bracket 48 which, through the provision of a bolt and nut connection 49, is secured to a depending flange 58 of a housing 52 within which a cutter-operating slide 54 is reciprocated. The end of the slide 54 is pivotally connected to an eccentric strap 56 driven by an eccentric 58. The eccentric 58 is keyed to a shaft 83 upon which is mounted a pulley 62 (Fig. 2) driven by a belt 64 from, for example, an electric motor 66 (Fig. 1).

In order to support the knife 32 which is thin and narrow and to tilt the same relatively to the support in order to form the heel-breast receiving shoulders 33, 3! the illustrated machine is provided with a rocking beam 38 (Fig. 3) mounted upon a bored bearing sleeve I8 (Fig. 2) which is secured to the housing 52 by a screw I2. Secured to and extending forwardly of the beam 68 is a bracket I4 which serves as a support for the guide members 34, 35. Slots I5 (Fig. 5) and I8 of the guide members 34, 35, respectively, are of suitable size to receive the strip knife 32 and to flex the same to curve its cutting portion 38. To insure that the cutting portion 38 shall not be deformed substantially by the work during the sole-trimming operation a brace 88 which is secured to the bracket I4 engages the convex side of the knife.-

The curvature of the trimming portion 38 of the knife 32 may be changed after releasing the brace from its clamped position with relation to the bracket M, by pivotally adjusting the guide member 35 about a pin 82 (Figs. 3 and 5) carried by a slide 33 which may be adjustab-ly secured in different positions along a guideway 84 of the bracket I4. Such pivotal adjustment is maintained through the provision of a set screw 85 which is in threaded relation with the slide 83 and passes through an arcuate slot 88 in the guide 38. After the adjustment has been made the brace 80 is again moved into engagement with the convex side of the knife 32 and is clamped to the bracket I4. The slide 83 may be adjusted heightwise relatively to the guideway 84 through the provision of a screw and slot connection 35 (Fig. 2).

The lower end of the knife 32 is secured to the operating slide 54 by a clamp plate 90 which is secured to the arm by a screw 92, the knife extending through the bore of the bearing sleeve '10 and engaging within the slots I8, 78 of the guide members 34 and 36, respectively. In order readily to replace a dull cutting section 38 of the knife by a sharp cutting section the knife has the form of a coil which is wound around a drum 94 (Fig. 2) supported by an arm 95 of the bracket I4. A sharpened'length of the strip knife 32 may be readily unrolled by releasing a clamp screw 98 carried by an angle arm I80 secured to the bracket I4 and pulling the knife lengthwise against the pressure of a friction spring (not shown) through the slots I6 and I8 and through the bore of the bearing sleeve Ill. The blunt portion of the lower end of the knife is then easily broken 01'1" preparatory to clamping the knife to the operating arm 54.

The shoe 28, the attached sole 22 of which is to have its heel-seat fitted for the reception of a heel 24, is mounted bottom side up upon the support 40, the heel portion of which has a shape similar to that of the heel portion of the inside of the shoe. The sole is clamped securely to the support 40 just forwardly of the heel-breast line I06 of the sole by a pair of opposed arms I82 (Fig. 7) of the clamp 45 which is carried by a-bracket IE4. 5

The shoe supporting and guiding mechanism is mounted upon an upright rod or post I88 (Fig.

which is slidably mounted in a forward extension I ID of the standard 44 and is normally urged upwardly by a spring M2, the lower end of the 10 spring being connected to a treadle I I4 which may be depressed for the removal of a shoe from the machine. In order to limit the upward movement of the rod I08 under tension of the spring I II] the rod is provided with a collar I I6 constructed and 15 arranged to engage the forward extension H8 of the frame of the machine.

An angular member II8 (Figs. 1 and 3) is secured by bolts to a plate I 28 which is formed integral with or is rigidly secured to the upper end of 20 the rod I88, a pair of guide rollers I22 (Fig. 3) being mounted upon the upper surface of the angular member H8 through the provision of screws I24. One of the rollers I 22 is of suitable width to fit within a U-shaped slot I26 formed 25 in a slide plate I28, the rollers I22 being suitably spaced to include between them a U-shaped rib I35 of the slide plate I28. A cover piece I 32 bridges the space between the rollers I22 and retains the plate I23 which is movable in a U-shaped 3o path, upon the angular member I I8.

Lateral adjustment of the support 48 relatively to the sliding plate I28 may be readily effected by moving the pedestal along a dovetail guideway I42 (Fig. 3) of the support bar I04 after re- "35 leasing a clamp screw I44 (Fig. 2). In order that the support 48 may be angularly adjusted relatively to the plate I28 in directions indicated by arrows I34 (Figs. 2 and 3) thereby to vary the angle of the beveling out 26 by which the heel- (40 seat portion 28 of the sole is reduced, the support 48 is provided with an arcuate depending portion I36 constructed for sliding engagement along an arcuate guideway I31 (Fig. 3) of a pedestal I38.

A screw I 40 which passes through split upper 45 portions of the pedestal I38 clamps the support 48 rigidly to the pedestal and may be released to permit angular adjustment of the support relatively to the pedestal. By providing the above adjustments the shoe may be accurately posi-='50 tioned upon the support 48 relatively to the trimming portion 38 of the knife. The plate I28 may be replaced by another plate having a rib I38 of a different shape in accordance with the shape to which the heel seat is to be trimmed. 55

During substantially the entire heel-seat reducing operation the overlasted counter portion I45 (Fig. 8) of the upper of the shoe 28 is held by the spring II2 against the bottom face I45 (Fig. 3) of the guide member 34 which therefore 60 also serves as a guard. The top face I48 (Figs. 4 and 5), as well as the bottom face I46, of the guide member 34 substantially merges with the sides of the strip knife 32 which projects from the forward portion of the guide member. The lower portion I58 (Figs. 4 and 5) of the guide member 34 extends beyond the cutting edge of the knife 32. The bottom and the top faces I46 and I48 of the guide member 34 thus operate as a plow, progressively raising the margin of the 'ZO heel-seat portion of the sole from the overlasted counter portion I52 of the shoe as the shoe mounted upon the support 40 is moved in a U- shaped path to form the beveling cut 26.

Before the guide member 34 operates as above '75 described the heel-breast receiving shoulder 30 is formed to permit the guide to be inserted between the overlasted counter portion I45 (Fig. 8) ofthe upper of the shoe and the marginal portion which is to be removed from the sole- The position of the heel-breast receiving shoulders 30, 3| is determined by a mark which has been previously drawn across the sole along the heel-breast line I06. The heel-breast receiving shoulder 30 is formed by causing the narrow strip knife. 32 to face downwardly toward the sole as illustrated in Fig. 4 as the shoe is raised with the support 40. The trimming section 38 of the knife is tilted to cause its cutting edge to face downwardly by rocking the beam 68 in a counterclockwise direction (as shown in Fig. 4) about the bearing sleeve 10. Such rocking movement is effected by actuating a two-way treadle I54 (Fig. 1) pivotally connected to a rod I56 which is universally connected to a lug I58 secured to the beam 68. As

the trimming section 38 of the knife finishes the shoulder-forming cut the operator moves the treadle I54 to a neutral or horizontal position such as is illustrated in Fig. 1. The portion I50 1 (Fig. of the bottom face of the guide which projects forwardly of the cutting edge of the knife engages the overlasted counter portion I45 of the shoe upper at the end of the shoulderforming operation and prevents the knife from injuring the shoe upper. After the heel-breast receiving shoulder 36 has been formed the heelseat portion of the sole is reduced as above described, the shoe being moved in a U-shaped path past the trimming portion 38 of the knife, the forward or plow portion of the guide 34 progressively engaging within the rand crease of the shoe as the shoe is moved in the U-shaped path.

When the trimming out has progressed to a point located adjacent to the opposite end of the heel-breast line I66 the operator by tilting the treadle I54 moves the beam 68 in a clockwise direction to cause the trimming portion 38 of the knife to face upwardly and lowers the shoe by stepping on the treadle II4 thereby to form the heel-breast receiving shoulder 3|.

When the beam 68 is in neutral position a spring-pressed plunger I62 (Fig. 5) carried by the same engages within a notch I64 formed in the bearing pin under which circumstances the cutting section 38 of the knife 32 is in position for making the beveling out. When the knife is in position to cut the heel-breast receiving shoulders and 3I the plunger I62 engages within notches I66 and I68, respectively, of the bearing sleeve 10. By providing the above detent means the operator may quickly swing the cutting section 36 of the knife from one of the three positions to another.

The trimming portion 38 of the knife may be initially adjusted relatively to the support in directions indicated by arrows I10 (Figs, 2 and 3) by sliding the table 46 along a guideway of the standard 44. Such adjustment may be readily effected by first releasing a set screw I12 which is in threaded relation with the standard and passes through an elongated slot I14 in the table 46 and then turning a hand screw I16 (Fig. l) which is rotatably mounted in a lug I18 of the standard and is in threaded relation with the table. After the proper adjustment has been made the set screw I12 forces the table 46 into binding relation with the standard 44.

The trimming portion 38 of the knife may be swung into proper adjusted position relatively to the support 40 by turning an adjusting rod I80 having right and left threaded portions which are screwed into swivels I82 and I84, respectively. The swivels I82 and I84 are pivotally connected to a rearwardly extending arm of the housing 52 and to a bracket I86 secured to the table 40, respectively.

In order rigidly to secure the shoe 20 upon the support 40 during the sole-trimming. operation the machine is provided with the clamp 42 comprising clamping arms I02 (Fig. '7) which are pivotally connected. to opposite ends of a bar I86, respectively. The bar I86 is pivotally secured to the upper end of a plunger I 88- one side of which is provided with a rack I90 constructed and arranged to mesh with a segmental gear I92 operated by a removable 1ever I94. A Horton clutch prevents the plunger I 88 from being urged upwardly under operating pressure of the arm I89 until a ball I96 which engages the plunger is forced downwardly against the pressure of a spring I98 by a release lever 200. When the plunger I88 is in raised position the arms I02 may be swung laterally to permit the shoe to be placed upon the support 40. A pair of spring-pressed plungers 202 engage notches 204 of the respective arms 162 to retain the same in vertical position. Since the bar I86 is pivotally secured to the plunger I88 the arms I02 may swing to equalize their pressure against the shoe. The bar I86 is normally held in horizontal position by a spring-pressed slide 206 which is constantly urged upwardly by a spring against the under surface of the bar I86. It will thus be clear that as the operating arm I94 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction the arms I02 clamp the sole against the support 40, the ball I96 operating to prevent the arm I94 from releasing the shoe until the ball is forced downwardly by the release lever 200.

In order to perform the heel-seat fitting operation the operator, after making the proper adjustments and after marking the heel-breast line I66 on the sole, lowers the support 40 and positions the shoe bottom-side up upon the same. The sole is then clamped to the support by the arms I02 as the operator moves the lever I94 in a counterclockwise direction. The cutter is then tilted to the position illustrated in Fig. 4 and the shoe upon the support 40 is swung around to the starting position. As the shoe upon the support 40 is raised under pressure of the spring II2 the cutting edge of the trimming portion 38 of the knife enters the sole along one end of the heel-breast line to form the heel-breast receiving shoulder 30, the upward movement of the support 46 being limited by contact of the overlasted counter portion I (Fig. 8) of the shoe with the portion I (Fig. 5) of the guide member 34. The beam 68 is then turned to its neutral position, illustrated in Fig. 5, and the heel portion of the shoe is moved in a U-shaped path past the cutting portion 38 to reduce the heel-seat portion of the sole by the beveling out 26 (Fig. 8). When the beveling out has progressed forwardly of the sole to a point just rearwardly of the opposite end of the heel-breast line Ififithe operator tilts the beam 68 until the plunger I64 engages within notch I66 thus causing the cutting edge of the trimming portion 38 of the knife: to face upwardly. The treadle I4 is then depressed to cause the trimming portion 38 to-form' the heel-breast receiving shoulder 3| at" the opposite endof the breast line I06.

Having described my invention, what'I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a heel-seat fitting machine, a support for a shoe, a flexible cutter, mechanism for operating the cutter, guides constructed and arranged to constrain an operating portion of the cutter for movement in a path of predetermined curvature, and means for guiding the support past the operating portion of the cutter to reduce the heelseat portion of the sole of a shoe on the support.

2. In a heel-seat fitting machine, a support for a shoe, a flexible cutter, means for flexing the cutter to curve the trimming portion thereof, means for moving the cutter relatively to said support, means for clamping a shoe to the support, and means for guiding the support in a U-shaped path past the trimming portion of the cutter to reduce the heel-seat portion of the sole of the shoe clamped on the support.

3. In a heel-seat fitting machine, a cutter provided with an elongated cutting edge, means for moving the cutter lengthwise of its cutting edge, and means constructed and arranged to guide the heel end of a sole attached to a shoe upper past the cutter thereby to reduce the heel-seat portion of the sole and to form heel-breast receiving shoulders upon the same, said cutter being mounted for transverse tilting movement to facilitate the formation of the heel-breast receiving shoulders.

l. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, a flexible knife having an elongated cutting edge, guides constructed and arranged to constrain an operating portion of the knife for movement in a path of predetermined curvature, means for moving the knife lengthwise of its cutting edge, and means for guiding a shoe having an attached sole in a U-shaped path past said cutting edge to reduce the heel-seat por-' tion of the sole for the reception of a heel.

5. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, a flexible cutting blade provided with an elongated cutting edge, mechanism for moving the blade lengthwise of its cutting edge, and means for guiding a shoe in a predetermined path past the blade, said blade being mounted for transverse tilting movement.

6. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination a flexible strip knife mounted for transverse tilting movement, means for flexing the knife to curve the cutting portion thereof, means for oscillating the cutting portion of the knife lengthwise of its cutting edge, and means for guiding the sole of a shoe in a predetermined path past the cutting portion.

'7. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, a flexible strip knife, means for flexing a portion of the knife, means for oscillating the knife lengthwise of its cutting edge, mechanism for tilting the knife transversely, and means for guiding a shoe past the flexed portion of the knife to reduce the heel-seat portion of the sole of the shoe for the reception of a heel.

8. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, a cutter provided with a curved cutting edge, means for moving the cutter lengthwise of said edge, a support for a shoe, and mechanism for guiding the support relatively to the cutter to reduce the heel-seat portion of a shoe on the support, said cutter being mounted for transverse tilting movement to form heel-breast receiving shoulders upon the sole as the shoe is moved relatively to the cutter.

9. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, a flexible cutting blade, spacedmembination, a cutter, guide members, means for moving the cutter lengthwise of its cutting edge in a path determined by said members, a support for a shoe movable toward and away from the cutter, mechanism for normally urging the sup port toward the cutter, one of said guide members being constructed and arranged to limit movement toward the cutter of the shoe mounted upon the support, and means for guiding the support in a U-shaped path past the cutter as the shoe engages said one guide member thereby reducing the heel-seat portion of the sole of the shoe.

11. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, a knife provided with an elongated cutting edge and mounted for lateral tilting movement, guide members, means for moving the knife lengthwise of its cutting edge in a path determined by said guide members, a support for a shoe mounted for movement toward and away from the knife, a clamp for securing the shoe to the support, resilient means for normally urging the support toward the knife, one of said guide members being constructed and arranged to limit movement of the shoe mounted upon the support toward the knife, and means to guide the support in a U-shaped path past the knife as the shoe engages said one guide member for reducing the heel-seat portion of the sole.

12. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in com bination, a strip knife provided with a cutting edge, members for flexing the knife to curve the cutting portion thereof, means for moving the knife lengthwise of its cutting edge, a support for a shoe, means for moving the support toward and away from the knife, and means for moving the support in a U-shaped path past the knife to reduce the heel-seat portion of the sole of the shoe, said knife being constructed and arranged to be tilted transversely to vary the angle between the knife and the general plane of the sole thereby to cause the knife to form heel-breast receiving shoulders upon the sole as the shoe is moved relatively to the knife.

13. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, a flexible cutting blade, members for flexing the blade to curve the cutting portion thereof, means for moving the blade lengthwise of its cutting edge, a support for a shoe, means for moving the support in a rectilinear path toward and'away from the knife, and means for guiding the support in a U-shaped path past the blade to reduce the heel-seat portion of the sole, said blade being mounted for transverse angular movement to cause the blade to be disposed at varying angles of the general plane of the sole thereby to cause the blade to form heel-breast receiving shoulders upon the sole as the shoe is moved in said rectilinear path.

14. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, a flexible cutting blade, a support for a shoe, spaced members for flexing the blade to curve the cutting portion thereof to which work may be presented, and a blade-engaging brace positioned between said members to insure that the cutting section is not distorted by pressure of work presented thereto, said member and said brace being mounted for transverse tilting movement with respect to the support.

15. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, a flexible cutting blade, means comprising a member for flexing the blade, shoe supporting means movable toward and away from said blade, and means for normally urging the shoesupporting means toward the blade, said member having a surface which substantially merges with a side of the cutting blade and is constructed and arranged to engage the overlasted counter portion of a shoe mounted upon said sup porting means thereby to limit the movement of the shoe toward the blade.

16. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, a flexible cutting blade movable lengthwise of its cutting edge, a member for flexing the blade, a shoe support movable toward and away from the blade, and means for urging the shoe support toward the blade, said blade-flexing member being provided with a surface which substantially merges with a side of the cutting blade and is constructed and arranged to engage a shoe mounted upon the support thereby to limit movement of the shoe toward the blade, said blade and said blade-flexing means being mounted for angular movement to vary the angle of the blade relatively to the shoe-supporting means.

1'7. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, a flexible strip knife, spaced members for flexing the knife to curve the cutting portion thereof, means for moving the cutting portion of the knife lengthwise of its cutting edge, said knifeflexing members being mounted for relative adjustment to vary the curvature of the cutting portion of the knife, a shoe support movable toward and away from the knife, and means for urging the shoe support toward the cutting portion of the knife, one of said members having a surface constructed and arranged substantially to merge with the knife and to engage a shoe mounted upon the shoe support thereby to limit movement of the shoe toward the knife.

18. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, a flexible cutting blade movable lengthwise of its cutting edge, spaced members constructed and arranged to fiex the blade and to guide the same thereby tocurve the cutting section of the blade, said members being mounted for relative adjustment thereby to vary the curvature of said cutting section, a shoe support movable toward and away from said cutting section, and means for urging the support with yielding pressure toward the blade, one of said blade-flexing members having a surface constructed and arranged to merge with a side of the cutting blade and to engage the overlasted counter portion of a shoe mounted upon the support thereby to limit movement of the shoe toward the blade, said blade and said members being mounted for angular adjustment to vary the angle at which the blade is disposed relatively to the shoe support.

19. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, a blade having an elongated cutting edge, a member provided with a slot for receiving the blade and having a pair of converging faces which merge substantially with opposite sides of the blade respectively, means for guiding a shoe past the blade, and means for oscillating the blade to reduce the heel-seat portion of the sole of the shoe as it is guided past the blade for the reception of a heel.

20. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, a strip knife, a member provided with a slot constructed and arranged to guide the knife, said member being provided with a pair of converging faces which merge substantially with opposite sides of the knife respectively, means for tilting said member and said knife transversely, means for guiding a shoe past the knife, and means for oscillating the knife to reduce the heel-seat portion of the sole of the shoe guided past the knife.

21. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination an elongated knife, a member provided with a slot through which the knife passes, said member having a pair of converging faces which merge substantially with opposite sides of the knife respectively, means for guiding a shoe past the knife, and means for oscillating the knife to reduce the heel-seat portion of the sole of the shoe guided past the knife for the reception of a heel, said member being mounted for pivotal movement about an axis disposed substantially in alinement with the portion of the cutting edge of the knife positioned within said slot.

22. In a heel-seat fitting machine, a blade having an elongated cutting edge, blade guiding i members, one of said members being provided with a pair of converging surfaces which merge with opposite sides of the blade respectively, and means for oscillating the blade lengthwise of its cutting edge, said one member being pivotally movable about an axis extending substantially lengthwise of said cutting edge.

23. In a heel-seat fitting machine, a knife provided with an elongated cutting edge, means for moving the knife lengthwise of said edge, and means for guiding the heel end of a sole attached to a shoe upper past the knife to reduce the heel-seat portion of the sole and to form heelbreast receiving shoulders upon the same, said knife being mounted for tilting movement about an axis which is substantially coincident with said cutting edge to facilitate the formation of heel-breast receiving shoulders.

24. In a heel-seat fitting machine, a cutter provided with an elongated cutting edge, means for moving the cutter lengthwise of its cutting edge, means for guiding the heel end of a sole attached to a shoe upper past the cutter to reduce the heel-seat portion of the sole and to form heel-breast receiving shoulders upon the same, means for tilting the cutter transversely, and a detent for determining the degree of tilting movement of said cutter to facilitate the formation of heel-breast receiving shoulders.

25. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination an elongated knife, a member provided with a. slot through which the knife passes, said member having a pair of converging faces which merge substantially with opposite sides of the knife respectively, means for guiding a shoe past the knife, means for reciprocating the knife to reduce the heel-seat portion of the sole of the shoe guided past the knife for the reception of a heel, said member being mounted for pivotal movement about an axis disposed substantially in alinement with the portion of the cutting edge of the knife positioned within said slot, and a detent for locating the knife in different angular positions about said axis.

CHARLES G. BROSTROM. 

